Collapsible box.



P. H. GOLGATE.

GOLLAPSIBLE BOX.

APPLIOATIDN FILED JUNE 24, 1911.

2 1 9 1 2 l 0 N d .w n m P 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. H. COLGATE.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 24, 1911.

Patented Nov. 12,1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

P. H. GOLGATB.

OOLLAPSIBLE BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24 Patented Nov. 12, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' UNITED STATES, PATEN FLORANCE HALL COLGATE, CF-NEW YORK, N. Y.

GOLL APSIBLE BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. '1 2, 191.2.

Application filed June 24, 1911. Serial No. 635,086.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnoaaxcn HALL C01.- oa'rn, ot' the city of New York, in the county of New York, and in the State of New- York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Collapsible Boxes, and do hereby declare that the following.is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The object of my invention has been to provide a collapsible box, and particularly a collapsible hat-box, convenient for use in traveling, and to such ends my invention consists 1n the collapslble hat-box hereinon the line 66.

I have chosen, for illustration, the form of my invention which is the best one known to me, but such embodiment is to be regard ed as typical only of the various emb0diments which are possible.

In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a cylindrical cloth tube-like body 1, having a draw-string at each mouth thereof. I secure a series of stiff sides 2 to the said body in a position intermediate the ends of the body. These .sides may be of any convenient number, and in the illustrated embodiment I have shown six of them. The sides are preferably secured in place by sewing them between inner and outer layers of the fabric from which the body is made. The tube has a flexible bottom 3 secured across it at the level of the lower edges of the sides, such bottom, being preferably formed of the same material as the body. As thus far described, the box is collapsible, and can, as shown in Figs. and 6 be folded up into a flat package of the size of one of thesides, and a thickness substantially equal to the combined thickness of the sides. In order to render the bottom ofthe box stiff and to lock the box open, so to speak, when it is distended in condition for use, I provide a stifi' bottomft, which bottom is preferably made of a plurality of stifl pieces covered with fabric, so that it can be folded up to approximately the size of the sides of the box. The bottom is of the shape of the polygon inclosed by the sides of the box when the box is distended.

In use the bottom 4'is placed on the underside of the flexible bottom 3 of the box, and rn'eierably within the polygon of sides at a level slightly above their lower edge, so that the stitl sides bear on the outer edges of the stiff bottom. The still' bottom is secured in operative position by pulling the draw-string 6 of the lower skirt. 7 of the box'body, The upper skirt 8, with its drawstring forms an inclosurc for the box.

It will be seen that my box is, when erected. sufficiently stitfto serve admirably for such a purpose, for instance, as a hat box for use in an automobile; and yet. my box is capable of being collapsed into a package not larger than a fair-sized book. i

" I claim- 1. A collapsible box comprising a series of stiff sides hinged together. a flexible piece extending across between opposite ones of said sides, a stiff bottom substantially of the shape inclosed by said sides, and means for securing said bottom to the underside of said piece of fabric.

2. A collapsiblc'l'iag comprising a series of stiff sides hinged together. a piece of fabric extended from one to an opposite one of said sides, a stiff bottom adapted to fit said sides,'a skirt adapted'to engage the opposite side of said bottom from said piece of fabric, and means for gathering and seouring saidskirt.

3. A collapsible box comprising a tubular body, a series of stiff sides secured to said body intermediate its ends, a piece of fabric extended from one to an opposite side of said sides, at the lower edge thereof, a stiil bottom adapted to rest upon the underside of said fabric, and means for gathering the lower skirt'to secure the still bottom in place.

4. A collapsible hat box comprising a tubular body. a series of stiff sides secured to said body intermediate its ends, a piece of fabric extended from one to an opposite one of said sides near the lower edge thereof, astiff bottom adapted to lie within said sides and rest upon said piece of fabric, and a draw-string for gathering the lower skirt of said body to secure said bottom in place.

5. A collapsible-hat box comprising a tubular body, a series of stitl? sides secured to said body intermediate its ends, a piece of fabric extended from one to an Opposite one of said sides near the lower edge thereof, a stiff bottom-adapted to lie within said sides and rest upon said piece of fabric, and a draw-string for gathering the lower skirt of said body to secure said bottom in place,

said bottom consisting of a pliirality of stitt' pieces hinged together.

6. The combination with a cloth box hav- 10 ing stiffened sides hinged together by the cloth, a flexible cloth bottom, a still bottom, and means for fastening the latter against the former, thus producing in effect a key to lock the box open.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing 1-5 

